Question map
Which of the following utilises Newtons Third Law of Motion?
Explanation
Newton's Third Law of Motion states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction [t1][t2]. A space rocket is a classic application of this principle. During liftoff and flight, the rocket's engines burn fuel to create hot exhaust gases, which are expelled downward at high velocity [t1][t6]. This downward expulsion of mass constitutes the 'action' force. In response, the expelled gases exert an equal and opposite 'reaction' force upward on the rocket, known as thrust, which propels the vehicle forward even in the vacuum of space [t1][t2]. While archery involves potential energy and tension, and a Venturimeter operates on Bernoulli's principle (fluid dynamics), the fundamental propulsion mechanism of a rocket relies directly on the action-reaction pairs defined by Newton's Third Law [t3][t6].
Sources
- [1] https://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/observatories/learning/swift/classroom/docs/law3_guide.pdf